March 11, 2014 - It is like part of the daily routine for many people to run in and out of the grocery stores, but for the students from Pou Choi Centre of Fuhong Society of Macau, it is a memorable learning experience to stroll through the aisles, choose between different items and get through the checkout lines.

Invited by Galaxy Entertainment Group (“GEG”), 20 students from Pou Choi Centre completed a fun-filled shopping task at a local supermarket with the help of the GEG volunteers last Saturday. The activity aimed to generalize practical knowledge and social skills among the participants in a real-world setting.

Before setting off on the grocery run, the GEG volunteers explained to the students at Pou Choi Centre about the process of grocery shopping and gave each of them a MOP300 shopping coupon sponsored by GEG. With the help of the GEG volunteers, the students checked the expiry date and calculated the total price of the selected items, before they went through the checkout line to get a better understanding of the payment process.

“I brought some apples, milk and chocolate; they are all my favorite food and I am going to share them with my classmates,” said On Kei, a student from Pou Choi Centre. On Kei has observed her parents complete the entire shopping process for many times and now with the help of the GEG volunteers, she finally had the chance to enjoy her own grocery shopping.

Cherry Cheng, a volunteer from the food & beverage department, took care of two students during the shopping trip. Not only did she explain everything about grocery shopping to the students, but she also had conversation with them about their daily lives. “The activity makes me realize that the students often have the same basic needs that we all do. With a little more care and patience, we can help them integrate into society and have a more fulfilling life.

The students who participated in this shopping task have taken part in different training workshops organized by Pou Choi Centre, such as package and handcrafting, in order to develop work skills for social integration. Ms. Cheang from Pou Choi Centre, who accompanied the students to visit the supermarket, thanked GEG for organizing this meaningful activity. “The shopping trip has not only offered our students a valuable opportunity to interact with the community, but it also helped them improve basic life skills to perform everyday tasks,” she said. The grocery items purchased from the shopping trip were all donated to the centre for sharing with the students.